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Free will

"Pretty good loot" the glove goddess reacted as she grabbed the dantian core of the poor 5th Star Eminence spasming in death throes at her feet. Without his cultivation core, even a Steel Eminence would die, especially in the mangled state this one was now.

"He wasn't so tough, this Golden Lion." the Beasthunter noted with a casual tone, as the holes in his chest restored and healed to perfection.

The Array Wizard was still puking his guts out on the side, since his 4th Star cultivation was about 10 times weaker than their target, and he suffered quite a lot in the fight.

"This is the third Eminence you have killed this year, Eternium Knight. This must stop." a cold and calculated voice spoke next, as the Celestial Dean appeared and glanced impassive as the head of the Golden Lion Sect died, for trying to enter the disputed lands of the Phoenix House.

The glove goddess removed her blood-splashed helmet and nodded towards the Dean. "Birds die for food, and people die for wealth. We do have posters at the border, warning everyone that trespassers into Legion territory will be killed." she answered in a stern voice.

"And at the same time, all the inns near the border spread rumors of abandoned spirit mines and secret realms filled with ancient herbs." the Dean spat in a disgusted voice.

"Those are not rumors, your mightiness. The former Phoenix lands are indeed rich with spirit mines and hidden herb farms. Which we are yet to exploit, lacking the manpower to cover such a large area." the Eternium Knight offered in a sincere voice.

It was of course a deliberate trap, for those greedy enough to dare trespass.

"Still going on about that? Why aren't you recruiting locals into your damned Legion, Eternium Knight?" the Celestial Dean asked in a cold tone.

The glove just raised an eyebrow. "These two brave men aren't locals?" she pointed out at her escorts.

"Fine! You can import one more billion Bronze Realms from below, and start exploiting the lands you have conquered. Also, the Divine Cook has returned to my Academy just now. As a teacher, this time." the Dean offered with a sad voice, then turned around and left, each of his slow steps covering a million miles.

Stepping out from a Violet portal, the Taotie emerged and glanced around fearfully, before snapping his jaws to Devour his just prize and return to digest it under the Tree.

"It was good while it lasted. Although only that beast benefited from our kills so far." The Wizard muttered as his face recovered a little under a Preservation Array.

The glove goddess frowned for a second. "Your body is far too weak for your cultivation realm, Wizard. Pef wouldn't have been this hurt, even as a new Eminence."

The Wizard scowled, but didn't argue with the truth. "I did my best..." he said instead.

"You better make it up for me, Wizard. Drink this." The glove decided after a rapid cost analysis equation. A cup of Iron Body Wine appeared in her hand, as a reward for a dangerous mission.

The Beasthunter smiled as he recognized the wine he helped sponsor Pef to create. Pretty much all the ingredients had been his own gifts, even the Preservation Core of a Steel Stingray.

As the Wizard drank the wine, his body Ascended rapidly from Golden Realm, into Silver, Copper then Bronze and finally Iron, healing itself at a rapid pace.

The man's face lost its palor, and he spat out blood and minced organs as new ones grew instead. "Body Cultivation is indeed powerful." the Wizard admitted with a sad voice.

"Barely passable." Beasthunter comented with a careless voice.

"Not everyone is a brute like you, Beasthunter. But indeed, I can feel it now. The backlash of a defense array will barely affect me now. Thank you, my lady." the Wizard spoke in a solemn voice, and bowed towards the glove goddess.

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"Are you stupid, Wizard? Do I look like a cook to you?" the glove threw back in a caustic tone, passing off the Karma debt before it could affect her cultivation.

"... Yeah. I was stupid. I have tasted his wine before, after all. Should have known it was also the Divine Cook's Dao Fruit." The Wizard spoke with a sheepish voice.

"Anyway, you two have a free year now, until Pef is ready to enter the Chaos Sea again. Don't waste all the free time on drinks and women" she guessed at random before stepping into a Blue Portal and vanishing.

Beasthunter and the Wizard exchanged a glance, then flew towards the nearest city at their best speed. While their new Legion officer did say they shouldn't waste all their time, that also meant at least half the time would be okay.

As the glove goddess emerged into the Blue Realm, she found only the Silent Monk and the Taotie, both calmly cultivating under the shadow of the tree, both of them at the peak of their 6th Iron Star.

The Taotie opened an eye warily, expecting the worst from her, as always.

Instead, the glove goddess held up a signpost. 'Beware those who enter. Trespassers might get eaten.'

"You are allowed to patrol Legion lands and eat the intruders. And only them." she proclaimed with a kind, motherly voice, then kicked the cat-sized monster out of the Pagoda. With a 5th Star Eminence dying in the latest intrusion, it was almost certain the Legion wouldn't have any more high tier robbery targets for a while. The monster could eat the lower tier intruders trying to steal anything of value.

The Silent Monk opened his eyes, and held out a hand. Shaking her head slightly, the glove acted as a proper benefactor towards the poor monk and dropped the Steel Ream dantian of her latest victim into his hand. While the monk was also essential for the Legion's high tier skills, Tree Seeds didn't grow on trees...or at least they were not free.

The Silent Monk offered a silent benediction, then turned around to press the valuable cultivation core into the tree's bark, where it sunk and disappeared by miracle.

Almost immediately, the tree began to grow again, and the Qi quality in the Blue Realm tripled just like that. Still a far cry from the potent Qi in the Celestial Academy, but it was a start. Worthy Legion members would have a place to meditate and cultivate in relative safety, in between battles and wars.

The Immortal Peach Tree grew a new branch with a dozen new flowers, adding a mystic smell and a holy aura too.

The glove goddess drew a deep breath, then stepped into a portal and emerged into the Celestial Academy, and the influx of coded transmissions of her guardian golems.

After the promising Trial of last year, a new class of eager Golden Realm students was admitted to the Celestial Academy, since most of the former students promoted to a higher realm or just died in the Chaos Sea. The new golden souls will need a stern hand to discipline them into proper human beings, or feed the Hell myriapods in detention. And also, there was a batch of Lower Realm students admitted on the basis of nepotism and favor of a certain teacher.

The glove smirked under her Eternium helmet and appeared beside a new student trying out his Academy robes in his courtyard. "Disciple Wong...you haven't attained your Sword Soul yet?" she asked in a disappointed voice.

"....Not yet." Wong admitted in a pitiful tone.

"Don't worry, we'll host a field trial in the Chaos Sea at the end of the semester. Fighting Chaosbeasts is the fastest way to polish your Sword skills, if you survive." she allowed in a mild voice.

"Is my Master all right? I heard he will teach Formations this year." Wong asked with an eager voice.

"Pef? He fought two Stingrays and lived. I'd say he's doing just fine." the glove said in a casual tone. Wong wouldn't know the true horror of a Steel Stingray for a while, but they were indeed dangerous, even for herself.

Wong's wife appeared from inside the student house, and bowed low towards the unknown Steel Eminence. "Welcome to our modest home, your Eminence..." she began to say while the glove sighed inward.

"You're a Legion Soldier, right? Saluting an officer isn't done like that." The glove muttered in a disappointed tone and flew away.

As expected, Pef was discussing something with the Dean in his office, and he soon came out holding a creepy skull covered in thousands of Formations.

"Divine Cook, I hope you're not going to eat that." she spoke in a joking tone.

Pef turned and simply smiled silently.

Perhaps she did something to upset him? "The new Star looks good on you." she continued in slight praise.

"You've been a good friend in this life, my orange glove. Don't start ruining things again, though. Wong doesn't have to die." he said in a mild yet sad voice.

The glove goddess raised a finger, then lowered it and made a fist instead. "You see the Fate of our Soldiers now, but you lack the greater vision. I already arranged his new life into the Icefire Sect. A Sword Soul is too valuable to miss on."

Pef sighed and walked past her, while a crown of azure flames covered his head for a second.

"Just ask him first." Pef said in a soft voice, just before he entered his first class as a teacher.

The Eternium Knight unclenched her fist, and stared after her user for a long minute. 'Free will? Would Wong choose to walk in the steps of his Master, if he knew the truth?'

Oh well, it wouldn't cost anything to ask.